Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to ground working vehicles and, more particularly, to a vehicle control system incorporating a propulsion control lockout.
Self-propelled walk-behind mowers are commonly used by homeowners and landscape professionals alike. Walk-behind mowers are adept at both mowing lawns with numerous obstacles (e.g., trees, shrubs, flowerbeds, and the like) that necessitate intricate trimming maneuvers, and mowing lawns that may otherwise be ill-suited to high-speed riding mowers. Moreover, walk-behind mowers are often used when mowing areas with steep slopes.
Many walk-behind mowers have a propulsion system that propels the mower at a variable ground speed. Typically, a control system is located on a handle of the mower that allows the operator to engage and disengage the propulsion system and to select a desired ground speed. One type of control system includes a handle grip that slides up and down relative to the mower handle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,083 to Stalpes et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 7,540,131 to Stover et al. (which are both herein incorporated by reference) describe a handle grip that: slides forwardly down the mower handle to increase ground speed; and rearwardly up the mower handle to decrease ground speed. As a result, the slidable handle grip may automatically adapt the ground speed of the mower to the speed of the walking operator.